DEVIL'S PEAK -- Appalachian Lifestyle

Review by Joseph Fayed

Films set in the Appalachian Mountains usually don't take place there because of the beautiful scenery. Instead, they tend to serve as the backdrop for a storyline involving dealing drugs or living in poverty. Lo and behold, Devil's Peak is an example of the former. It is as southern Gothic as one can get. 

Based on a novel by David Joy, the thriller follows a ruthless crime lord in a small town (Billy Bob Thorton) at odds with his son, Jacob (Hopper Penn), who wants to leave his life behind to pursue the girl of his dreams. His dad does not take the news well, and the events that ensue test the loyalty of not just family, but everyone the father and son duo have crossed paths with. 

Most of the characters serve as a caricature for anyone who still has a pulse in the rural parts of the south. It ultimately works because each of them is acted so well by its mostly prominent cast. Billy Bob Thorton has some funny one-liners and acts like he would be a drug lord in another life. The biggest surprise for me was Hopper Penn, son of Sean Penn and Robin Wright, who ironically plays his mom in this film. Nepo Baby arguments aside, even when it has the parent and child working together, Hopper does a decent job at playing uneducated white trash. Sean Penn really rubbed off on him. 

The most convincing parts of the film surround Robin Wright's character, who is in recovery from drug addiction. Even in her small amount of screen time, her character pulls at the heart strings and is the only one who seemingly isn't defined by the choices she has made. She is a caring person, which is rare to see in supporting characters suffering from addiction. 

The middle parts of the film are where the plot fell flat. In a small town where everyone knows everyone, it would've been much better if we had gotten to know everyone and their way of life. Instead, we only get to see the father, mother, and son. There was definitely backstory to how politics and the police are intertwined, but their problems are secondary to the family's. If Jacob's actions are supposed to create a domino effect for those around him, it is disappointing to only see the highlights of his immediate family. 

Devil's Peak has a convincing cast, trying their best in this post-Ozark feature. Unfortunately, this film doesn't choose to explore the depths this type of story could have, and its best moments come across as a family drama instead of the crime thriller many watching this are probably hoping to see. 

Devil's Peak hits theaters on February 17 and VOD on February 24.

Rating: 3/5